Steam-heating system.



Q. N. EVANS. STEAM HEATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1911.BBNEWIJD'AUG. 2, 1913.

1,087,284, Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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QUIMBY N. EVANS, O1? NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO EVANS, ALMIRALBQ'FCQ,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A FIRM.

STEAM-HEATING SYSTEM.

Application filed January 18, 1911, Serial No. 603,311. Renewed August2, 1913. Serial No. 782,710.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, QUIMBY N. EVANS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented certain -new and useful Improvements inSteamJIeat-ing Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam heating apparatus adapted for theheating of buildings, wherein the radiators are commonly provided withthe usual thermostatic air valves which contract when cold to admit air,and when heated expand to close the air vent. When such air valves areuninclosed, it occasionally happens that through improper adjustment orthrough wear, they will leak or drip, sometimes damaging carpets ordecorations. To obviate this the discharge from these air valves is insome cases carried through a small pipe to a collecting vessel in thelower part of the building from which any accumulating water has beenrun off. In such installations it is desirable to provide a suctiondevice whereby a partial vacuum may be maintained in the air-pipe; thishas the advantage of hastening the heating up of the radiators whcnsteam is turned on.

The present invention provides an improved and simplified apparatus forcontinuously maintaining a suction in the air or vent ipe leading fromthe radiators of a steam iieating system.

The figure of the accompanying drawing is an elevation partly invertical section showing'my invention as applied in connel:-'

tion with two steam radiators supposed to be controlled with others at ahigher level in any building.

The radiators A, A are or may be of any suilable or known constructionhaving steam inlet val es or 41- opening from any source of steam at anysuitable pressure.

7) 1' are the inclosed air valves which are the usual thermostaticvalves, and from I tlicir inclosing casing their lead downwardly vent.or drip pipes 0 0. These pipes from the several radiators ordinarilylead to the pipe d which enters the basement or cellar and which in thisinstance leads to a suction colnnm B consisting of any suitablepipe,-say for example, three to four inches in diam cter, having a trapor seal C at its lower part and discharging through a waste pipe D tothe sewer or any convenient outlet. The column B is provided with meansfor creating a partial vacuum so as to maintain a slight suction in theipes 0 d. A water gage e is applied by which the extent of this vacuummay be readily ascertained'." A water pipe E, leading from any suitablesource of water such as a city water main, leads to a. valve F, andthence through a pipe E to the water column B which is connected at fpreferably oblique] as shown, so as to discharge a stream 0 the columnB, whereby to condense any steam or vapor therein, and by reasonof suchcondensation and also by reason of its injector action, to create thedesired suction or partial vacuum in the column. The admission of waterfor this purpose is regulated automatically and in pro portion to thedegree of v: vnum that ,exists,.as determined by a diaphrregulator G.This regulator compr diphragm 1 of any suitable-flexible mate-rial,

mechanically connected to a lever II pivotcd on a fixed fulcrum h andconnecting with the stem of the valve F. The lever carries also anadjustable weight 2 by which the degree of vacuum to be maintained maybe adjusted. The diaphragm g closes the top of a chamber I whichcommunicates indirectly with the column B. This communication is madethrough a pipe j, a vertical pipe J constituting another column, andfrom the upper part of this pipe through a pipe 7.: leading to the upperpart of the column B. A branch water pipe L controlled by a hand valve Zdischarges into the upper part of the column J.

In operation the valve Z will be open very slightly soas to permita slowflow or leak- Patented Feb. 17, 19 14. I

water into a lOO the pipe IE only condenses any steam therein, butcarrice with it enough of the air to cause a partial vacuum or suctionin thecolumn, the excess water flowing off through the trap C. As soonas the vacuum thus created becomes sufficient, the suction communicatedthrough the pipe is lifts the water in the column J, being aided by thepressure of the parts resting on the diaphragm g, and the latter isproportionately lowered thereby through the lever H, closing orpartially closing the valve F and cutting down the supply of water. Inpractice, the diaphragm will assume such position that the valve F iskept open just enough to permit a suiiicient stream of water to enterthe column B to maintain the precise degree of vacuum or rarefaction forwhich the apparatus is set by reason of the adjustment of the weight Anydiminution of the vacuum permits the water in column J to exert greaterpressure upon the diaphragm and lift it, thereby partially opening thevalve and increasing the flow of water and thereby intensifying thevacuum; and the contrary operation occurs when the prescribed vacuum isexceeded.

The apparatus described constitutes a very simple, eflective andreliable n'ieans for maintaining the desired slight partial vacuum inthe air pipes or vent pipes c d, whereby whenever the air valves of theradiators are 0 en the air is drawn from the radiators, there yfacilitating the admission of steam thereto when the steam valves areopened.

The apparatus is of especial value in connection with a low pressureheating system.

into the column B, which not What I claim is a 1. A suction device for asteam heating system comprising a trapped condensing column, a valvedwater inlet thereto, and means controlled by the vacuum in said columnfor operating the valve whereby automatically to maintain a prescribedvacuum.

2. A suction device for a steam heating system comprising a trappedcondensing column, a valved water inlet thereto, a diaphragm foroperating the water inlet valve, and a duct communicating between saiddiaphragm and column.

3. A suction device for a steam heating system comprising a trappedcondensing column, a valved water inlet thereto, pressure-operated meansfor controlling the inflow of water, and a Water column communicating atits bottom with said pressureoperated means and at its top with saidtrapped colu'n'in.

1'. A suction device For a steam heating system, comprising a trappedcondensing column, a fva'lved water inlet thereto, pressure-operatedmeans for controlling the inflow of water, a water column communicatingat its bottom with said means and at its top with said trapped column,and a Water snpplyinlet to said \\'ater. column.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence 0 twosubscribing witnesses.

/ QUIMBY N. EVAN \Vitnesses:

An'rnulc (l. FRASER, 'lnoMAs F. WALLACE.

